JOBS UP 2% IN '98 IN STATE

DAN HAAR; Courant Staff WriterTHE HARTFORD COURANT

The state released new data Thursday showing job growth for all of 1998 outpaced 1997, a reverse of what earlier estimates had shown.

The revised numbers from the state Department of Labor show a 2.0 percent increase for 1998 -- the highest since 1987 -- and a 1.8 percent increase for 1997. Earlier reports had shown a jump of 2.1 percent in 1997, and 1.8 percent for last year.

Unemployment was also reported at 3.0 percent in January, the lowest since 1988 and well below the national rate of 4.3 percent.

Job growth is the most widely watched number when it comes to gauging the state's economic progress.

Thursday's revision was small enough that it would hardly spell a difference in Connecticut's overall prosperity between the two years. In any case, the state's employers have been adding about 30,000 jobs a year.

But the new report adds yet more fuel to the argument that the state's growth has not slowed. Throughout most of 1998, a slowing appeared to be clear. Now, a resurgence at the end of the year, combined with the data revision, raises doubts about forecasts for slowing growth in 1999.

"With all the proposals and plans for development in the state, 1999 may well be the year we finally move into an expansion, in terms of employment growth," said Salvatore DiPillo, labor statistics supervisor for the Department of Labor.

The question remains, where are the workers coming from at a time when population isn't growing? The new figures show that even manufacturing employment, which had been dropping, increased by 2,200 in 1998, or nearly 1 percent.

Monthly job totals are based on a survey of 5,000 employers. Revisions, released each march, are based on actual filings by employers. Year-to-year data is seasonally adjusted average employment level for each year. Last year's average was 1,644,900, the report said.